Antonia Ziva
by Heiidii Babess x
Summary: Gibbs and Jen are left holding the baby - literally but who's baby is it and what is that kid's life gonna be like as a Gibbs?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, this is my very first NCIS fanfic, I unfortunately do not own any of the NCIS characters (although I would love to!) they all belong to CBS and Donald Bellisario. I hope you enjoy, but I'm not overly delighted with it myself. **

September 2000

Jenny Shepherd flopped onto her bed and squeezed her eyes closed. Finally Friday was over, another case solved, all she wanted was sleep. She was just drifting off when the doorbell sounded from below.

"Uh, who comes over at this time of night?" Throwing herself out of bed she dashed down the stairs. She switched on the porch light and opened the door.

"Good evening Agent Shepherd," Jenny jumped slightly, at the familiarity of the voice. It was heavily accented and she didn't have to guess which Israeli it belonged to.

"Deputy Director David, what brings you to DC and at this time of night?" She stood aside, "Please come in." He stepped into the hall, the light showed off an impressive scar running down the length of his face. He was holding a bundle of blankets tightly against his chest.

"I am not staying for long, I only came to see you."

"You came all the way from Israel just to see me?"

"Well, it was of great importance, I have a favour to ask of you." He held the bundle tighter. Jenny took a breath.

"If it involves anything illegal then I'm not doing it."

"Why would you assume such a thing? I may be Mossad but I would not do that to you. No, I need you to look after something - someone rather - for my daughter."

"Ziva? What do I need to look after?" She looked more closely at the bundle, it was moving.

"It is extremely important, I need -she needs you to look after this," he handed the bundle to Jenny, she looked inside.

"A baby? Ziva's baby?"

"Yes, Ziva's baby, an American baby." Jenny's head snapped up.

"The father is American?"

"Unfortunately so, a man named Anthony DiNozzo, he is a Baltimore cop, he and my daughter had a short love affair before I decided to end her mission and bring her back."

"Does Ziva know your doing this?"

"Of course not, but Ziva is a good agent and a good daughter, she will understand that this is for the best." Jenny frowned, deep in thought.

"What did you tell her?" The man in front if her sighed,

"Do we need to go into this?" He looked at her and sighed once more, "I told her the baby died, that it wasn't strong enough to live, she was upset, but she will get over it. And besides Mossad is no place for a child."

"You told your daughter that her baby was dead?! How could you? Your suppose to be her father!"

"Please Ms Shepherd do not shout, I am doing what is best, please respect my wishes and one day you will reunite mother and child and I will not stand in your way, one day when it is safe for you to do so but not for many years."

"Many years? Ziva could die next week when you send her on another mission!"

"Please Jenny, please look after my granddaughter." Jenny looked at the bundle in her arms properly. It was a baby girl, dressed in a pink snowsuit, she was very small with thick dark curls on her head she lay peaceful, sleeping in Jenny's arms.

"How early was she?"

"8 weeks, she was born on July fourth, American Independence Day, no?"

"Yes, it is, How did you manage to keep her a secret for so long?"

"Quite easy, when you are in Mossad you don't ask twice. Thank you for understanding Jenny, I will check up on her later." Without time for Jenny to reply he swept from the house closing the door behind him.

Jenny stood rooted to the spot. The little girl in her arms began to stir, she looked up at her new carer with sparkling green eyes. Jenny smiled gently at her, coming back to reality.

"I think we'll call you Antonia Ziva, what do you think?" The now wide awake and alert baby gurgled in reply. Jenny continued to talk to the bundle, "I'm going to called my friend Dr Mallard and we'll have you checked over and back to sleep soon enough my angel." Jenny reached for her cell in her robe pocket and hit speed dial 4.

"Jennifer, what has you calling me at this hour?" The tired Scotsman asked rather irritated at being woken up.

"I have a situation here Ducky, you see I've just been given a baby to look after and I have to idea how healthy she is." The line went quiet.

"A baby? From who?"

"An old friend, she is unable to look after her. Could you come and check this little angel over for me?"

"Yes of course, I'll stop by Wal-Mart on my way and buy some necessities. I won't be long." He hung up the phone and Jenny moved into her study. She didn't know what to do, she pulled out her cell again and hit speed dial 2. She took a deep breath and listened for an answer,

"Yeah, Gibbs," she let her breath go, her partner had answered.

"Jethro, it's Jen, I have a situation and I think I need your advice." She heard a chuckle from the other end of the phone.

"At this time at night? Jen it's almost two a.m., are you still at work?"

"No, no, this is personal stuff, I know you have experience in the area and you could be a lot of help." Another deep intake of breath as she waited for an answer.

"Jen what's up? Tell me."

"My friend has given me her baby daughter, I called Ducky and asked him to come and check her over but I need your help." She could almost hear the cogs working in his mind as her thought, her stomach churned as she waited for him to answer him, she had never been so anxious.

"I'll be there in five." He hung up and she smiled. The baby in her arms wriggled as if to demand more attention.

"Hey, don't think for a minute I forgot about you." She stroked the baby's little cheeks, "You are your mother's daughter Antonia, but those eyes, you must get them from your dad, your just perfect." She began to unwrap the girl from her blankets when the door bell rang,

"Come in!" She heard stumbling in the hall as Ducky ambled in the room weighed down with bags filled with, diapers, wipes, baby powder, milk formula and everything a baby might possibly need. They smiled at each other and Ducky sat down beside her.

"May I see her?" Jenny gently handed Antonia over to Ducky and he began to examine her. Gently checking her all over. "Does she have a name yet?"

"Antonia, after her dad and Ziva after her mum." Ducky smiled at the little girl in his arms.

"Well Antonia Ziva, you are perfect and have been very well looked after but I think you need fed, you look pretty hungry." He looked to Jenny, "You get her changed into a new baby-grow and I'll go and make some formula up. There are some nice pink ones in the bag on the right." They were suddenly interrupted by the door opening and a voice calling,

"Jen? Where are you?" Ducky looked at her and smiled.

"You called Jethro as well, I knew you would." Jenny smiled as she began to dress Antonia in her new suit.

"In here Jethro." Ducky got up and went to make up the formula in the kitchen as Gibbs came in. He saw Jenny dressing the baby and chuckled.

"You look like such a natural. Never thought you were the type. What's her name?"

"Antonia Ziva DiNozzo. Her father is called Anthony DiNozzo, a Baltimore cop and her mother is Israeli Mossad, Ziva David." She picked the baby up from the sofa and cradled her gently in her arms. Gibbs sat down beside them and looked at the little girl who sat so contentedly in her new mother's arms.

"I'm not even gonna ask why you have to look after her but I will help you, I'm not going anywhere." He pulled her protectively into a hug. She relaxed into him.

"Thank you so much, I don't know what I'd do without you." Gibbs took Antonia from Jenny and looked at her closely.

"She's a very pretty baby, look at all her dark curls," He smiled and looked at Jenny, "You'll make a great mom." He turned her head and kissed her lightly on the lips as Ducky came bustling back into the room with the baby milk.

"It should be okay to give her just now, I let it cool for a bit." He gave the bottle to Jenny as she gently took Antonia away from Gibbs. "I'm going to return home now, you seem to be in capable hands now and Antonia is fine, I'll come back Sunday to see her. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Ducky," Gibbs and Jenny said together. Ducky left silently as Antonia began guzzling the milk quickly.

"Someone's hungry." Jenny commented. "Jethro, could you do something for me?" Gibbs smiled,

"Anything Jen." She took a breath and looked him straight in the eyes.

"Will you be Antonia's dad?" Gibbs smiled broadened.

"Of course, I'd love to be her dad." He took the little girl from Jenny's arms and rocked her gently to sleep.

He joined Jen on the couch, the perfect family.

The end of life as they knew it and the beginning of an adventure.

**Soooo ... what did you think? Please R&R if you want me to continue, I have already written a second part so let me know if you want to read it ;) xx**


	2. One Year Later

**Hey, I'm back again! Sorry it took so long, it's that time of year in school when I'm getting tests in every subject. This one was kind of rushed ever so slightly but I tried my best and tried to clear a few thngs up at the same time. I think I might make the chapters apart by between six months - a year apart so you can see how they progress as a family and now Antonia gets more grown up. She may be a little more advanced than the normal one year old but my little cousin is the same age and I used her as a base for how progressed Antonia should be and she is a little advanced even slightly more than wee Antonia.  
Sorry for my babbling, once again I own nothing except Antonia and I hope you enjoy this part!**

4th July 2001

"_Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Tia, happy birthday to you." _

The small collection of people in the Gibbs' back yard clapped as Jen and Jethro helped there one year old daughter blow out the candle on her cake. As the flame went out the little girl clapped and giggled excitedly. Jen and Gibbs shared a secret look both unconciously remembering the morning after the promises made.

_Jenny woke up and realized she wasn't alone. She turned over and came face to face with a nightmare - in the form of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. _

_"Morning Jen," He smiled and her mind wandered to lovely memories but her memory soon came back to her. Had the past fourteen months been a dream? No, definately not. She **had** left him in Paris, she** did **return to DC and realize she had made a mistake that couldn't be fixed, she **did** cry about it for days and never stop missing him. But then he came back and -probably not without messing with the Director's head- had been put on the same team as her. _

_It was like nothing ever happened, he made it perfectly clear he wanted another try at being together - and she had no problem with it. It began again, sneaking around behind our team leader's back, kissing in elevators, romantic meals and oh so perfect nights in. He changed her more than he ever had before, she had inherited more traits. She was straight to the point, addicted to caffeine and back to slapping Junior Agent Hoffman on the back of the head. They were happy, she had never been happier._

_ Then he was gone- an undercover mission in Moscow and he hadn't come back, until two weeks ago. He resumed his place at his desk as if nothing had happened but this time she was ready, she wasn't giving in again, she wasn't resuming their relationship - if you could call it that - and he wouldn't get round her, ever. Well he had now. _

_"Aren't you gonna say something Jen? Or am I going to have to fill you in on last night?" She snapped out of the flashbacks and thought of the night before - the baby, Ducky, Jethro, Mommy and - gulp - Daddy. _

_"Did I really say that?" She looked him in the eyes and he nodded. "So we are now parents of an eight week old daughter, we work for NCIS and our boss is going to kick our asses?" He laughed and rolled over on his back and she continued, "How on earth did you manage to get into my bed?"_

_"Well, that was all my idea, you were out of it when we finally got Antonia to sleep and you kinda just crawled into bed and I just lay down next to ya. And just so we clear, no one is kicking our asses." Jen sighed,_

_"So I suppose that makes us a 'couple' again then? Or are we going to pretend like this never happened and I raise Antonia?" Gibbs kissed her cheek._

_"I like the first situation so much better." She laughed and let him kiss her - only to be interrupted by a hungry baby._

Jen placed Tia on the table amongst her gifts. The group watched as the little girl began to examine the three parcels from her three guests. Her Saba David, Uncle Ducky and Aunty Noemi - her sitter and the family house keeper.

The party chuckled as Tia began to open her gifts. Her Saba David had given her a gold band with her name and date of birth on it in Hebrew she had smiled at the shiny object as Jenny put it round her wrist. Ducky had given her an animal picture book that had noise buttons, every time Tia pressed one she would squeal in delight at the bark of the dog, the meow of a cat or the roar of the lion but her favourite was the "quack quack" that came from the duck button. Noemi had given her brand new Wiggles DVDs and she had almost immediately pointed at them eager to watch her new DVDs. Jen and Jethro had spared no expense on there baby's first birthday, she now had a slide, a swing and a mini jungle gym in the back yard as well as a television and DVD player in her room. She was one year old and already one of the most spoiled kids in DC.

Eli David was sitting in his chair laughing at Jen and Jethro's account of the past year. He was happy that he had given Tia to them, she was happy and they were happy, Ziva was back to her usual self if not a little more reserved and he was able to see his granddaughter knowing that she would remain safe even when he was not there. He admired the little girl who had toddled off to play on her slide. She was almost exactly like her mother was when she was a baby. The dark curls and small features made her almost a complete mirror image of her but when the little girl caught his gaze with her soft green eyes he was forced to remember that she wasn't just like her mother. It was all to obvious while watching her that she had a different nature. She loved to watch kids programmes and movies and she was happy in her own company and could satisfy herself without needing other kids to play with. Ziva, who had grown up with brothers and sisters could never get used to playing on her own as a child, she would always have friends over and loved having Tali trailing along behind her , hero worshipping her. Where Ziva was quite quiet and went with the flow, Tia was noisy and always had to have her way and as an only child always got it. As well as getting her own way, as an only child Tia was far more advanced than a lot of one year olds as she had so much attention shown to her and encouragement given to walk and talk herself and be able to tell people what she wanted instead of just pointing. Or maybe it was just that her mother had always been independent when it came to making her own decisions. Suddenly he felt tugging at his ankles and looked down to see Tia smiling up at him.

"Saba,Tia,swing" the little girl gushed excitedly now tugging on his hand. He chuckled and lifted her up in his arms and over to the swing, making sure she was fastened in before gently pushing the swing to and fro while the little girl kicked her feet, laughing hysterically.

Jenny leaned in to her now fiancée and sighed contentedly at the scene in front of her. Gibbs squeezed her hand tightly.

"He obviously adores her Jen, and her him, it's great though don't you think?" Jenny squeezed his hand back.

"Yeah, you know maybe we should take that trip to Stillwater for vacation so she can meet Grandpa Gibbs, what do you think?" Gibbs laughed at her,

"That's a great idea Jen," he glanced at his watch - 19:45, "We need to get going in half an hour if we wanna get a good spot to watch the fireworks. I was thinking about going to the Jefferson Memorial, it's suppose to be a great place to watch the display, I went once years ago." He remembered Kelly's first July 4th but he didn't go into it, he didn't want to talk about it. Jenny understood and nodded,

"Sounds great, Noemi, Ducky would you like to join us?" Ducky looked away from watching his token niece and her grandfather,

"I'm afraid I can't, I have to go and see mother, I've left her alone for almost three hours, although I have phoned repeatedly to check in on her I do have to go home, maybe next year?" Gibbs smiled.

"Sure Duck, Noemi? Would you like to come?" The nanny smiled,

"I would love to, if you will have me." Jenny laughed gently,

"Of course we'll have you with us, we asked you didn't we? Your like family now Noemi." The woman smiled gratefully and nodded her thanks while sipping on a glass of Coke. Ducky stood up,

"Well thank you for having me Jethro, Jennifer. I have had a lovely time but I must be off ." Jen stood up and kissed Ducky's cheek and Gibbs clapped him on the back and thanked him for Tia's gift. He strolled over to the little girl who was still on her swing. Eli stopped it gently so Ducky could say goodbye.

"Well, little Antonia, I have to go home now, I will see you later." He patted her head, "Does Uncle Ducky get a kiss from the birthday girl?"

"Yes!" She leaned forward and gave her Uncle a kiss on the cheek. "Bye bye!"

Jethro stood on the front porch watching Ducky drive away in his Morgan. He heard footsteps behind him and an excited voice cry, "Daddy!" He turned round and scooped his daughter into his arms and then threw her into the air.

"Jethro don't she'll be sick!" Jenny warned him as he went to throw Tia again. He put the girl down and she hurried over to her mother.

"Mommy, fireworks?" Jen smiled and tickled her gently.

"Soon Angel." She turned and went back throw the house and into the back yard. She looked at Tia,

"Shall I ask Saba David if he wants to come with us?" Tia nodded and Jenny tapped the shoulder of the man helping Noemi clear the table of plates, cups and wrapping paper. "Would you like to come with us to watch the fireworks?" He smiled but then sighed,

"I'm afraid I can't Jenny, I have a flight to catch in an hour and a half so I really have to be off now." He took his granddaughter from Jenny, "Sorry nesichah Saba has to go home to Israel so he can't come to see the fireworks with you and mommy and daddy but I will be back to see you soon." He kissed her on the forehead before handing her back to her mother. "I'll leave now, I'll call you next week and tell you when I'll next be over." He ruffled Tia's hair and picked up his jacket. "L'hitraot, Antonia, ani o'hev o'tach." He said goodbye to Jethro before leaving. Gibbs came out into the yard and took Tia from Jenny,

"Come on sweetie, we'll put you in the car and get going." He made sure Tia was properly in her car seat before putting her stroller in the trunk and calling for Jenny.

"Hurry up, we're waiting for you and Noemi." Jenny emerged alone and got in the front with Jethro.

"Noemi isn't coming, she said it should just be us as a family." Gibbs took her left hand and kissed her engagement ring.

"I love you Jen," she smiled and kissed him. "I love you too Jethro."

He reversed out of the drive and they made there way to display.

It was late when the fireworks finally ended. Jen and Jethro walked silently back to the car, Jethro pushing a sleeping Antonia in her stroller. When they got home Jen hurried inside to fix Tia's cot as Jethro got her from the car. Jen hurried down from Tia's room and took her from her dad,

"Come help me get her ready for bed." The pair took the sleeping baby to her room, they changed her diaper and dressed her in her night clothes before placing her in her cot and standing over the cot watching Tia sleep. Jenny was the first to move.

"Come on Jethro, let's go to bed," She yawned and left the room. Gibbs kissed the sleeping baby and walked over and switched off the night light by the door.

"Good night angel," he whispered before closing the door. He walked into his and Jenny's room. He silently spoke to Shannon and Kelly telling them about the day and he was sure they were happy for him, happy that he was happy and he was he hadn't been happier since Kelly's last birthday and somewhere in his heart he knew that his wife and daughter were proud of him, for finally settling down and getting on with life again.

**nesichah - hebrew for princess  
saba - hebrew for granddfather  
l'hitraot - see you soon (hebrew)  
ani o'hev o'tach - (hebrew) i love you (masculine, man to a woman)**

**So what do you think? I hope I have answered some of your questions, please review, I need at least six if I am to do another part, although it is written. R&R please x :-)**


	3. October 01

**Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I just haven't had time to upload the next part, well here it is. Hope you enjoy!**

**October 2001**

"Jethro, Jethro, wake up!" Jen nudged the sleeping figure lying next to her.

"Wha-what's up?" Gibbs sat up, blinking quickly, his eyes trying to adjust to the light.

"I just got a call from Director Morrow." His eyes now adjusted to the light Gibbs could see a worried Jenny pacing across the room with a drowsy Tia slumped over in her arms.

"What's going on?" Jenny clutched Tia tighter against her. "I've been assigned to a special op to strengthen links between America, Israel and other countries in the Middle East as of next week, we have to rebuild relationships after 9/11." Gibbs flopped down on the bed.

"Israel? Does that mean the possibility of seeing Ziva David again?" Jen nodded silently. Gibbs continued. "I take it this means you'll be travelling a lot, meaning we'll have to post pone the wedding." Jen turned to face him, she had tears spilling down her face.

"Yes, it does. I'm going to be out of the country for 6 weeks at a time until our superiors deem appropriate. I get two weeks off at a time but it's not enough to finish planning the wedding in time for the date we planned. It's a good job we didn't hand out the invites already." She attempted a smile while absent mindedly stroking Tia's curls. "I'm gonna miss you Jethro. I promise to keep in touch. I don't know how I'm going to get by without seeing her every day." Gibbs got up and walked across the room to Jenny. He took Tia into his arms.

"We have a week Jen, let's make the most of it. I'm off work til Friday so we'll go to my dad's for a few days, we'll come back in time for you to be briefed for your mission and be packed and ready. Don't worry about a thing. The wedding can wait, it's not as if we aren't good at waiting and I can look after Tia. I'll take her and go back to my place full time. We'll get by." He kissed Jenny on the head and then smiling he ruffled Tia's curls.

"How about that princess? We gonna go to Stillwater and see Grandpa Jack?" Tia who was still half asleep buried her head into Gibbs' neck and mumbled something unintelligible.

"I'll take that as a yes then. How about we leave this afternoon? It's only," he looked at the clock on the bedside table. "Oh eight thirty. If we're ready and on the road by about ten we'll be there half two, that's if we stop on the way, which with a child is unavoidable." Jen smiled, he was off on a rant again. By the time he was done she had two days worth of clothes packed for herself and Tia and Jack already knew they were coming. Trust Jethro to be spontaneous at a time like this.

By the time they were on the highway, with Tia slumped asleep in the back, all thoughts of leaving the country in a week had completely left Jen's mind until Gibbs got a phone call. He pressed loudspeaker and answered.

"_Yeah Gibbs."_

"_Ah Agent Gibbs, I'm glad I got you. "_

"_Director Morrow, what can I do for you?"_

"_I know you are off work until Thursday but I have some news for you and I'd like you to come into headquarters for a talk?"_

"_I can't Director, I'm on my way out of town, can't you just tell me now?"_

"_Well, it's not really appropriate but I guess considering that your obviously going away for a few days I suppose I can. Your being promoted, you're a team leader as of now. You meet your new team on Thursday."_

"_Are you sure? I mean, me? A team leader? I'll kill one of them! Am I getting new agents - like probies? _

"_*sighs* No, your getting a Baltimore cop and an ex petty officer. I don't think I could trust you with newbies and those two were the best I could get you. You'll make a good leader Jethro no doubt about it."_

"_Do the cop and the petty officer have names Director?"_

"_Your petty officer is Vivian Scott and the cop is called Anthony DiNozzo. That's all I have time for Gibbs, I'll see you Thursday morning."_

The line went dead and Jen and Gibbs glanced at each other - Anthony DiNozzo? Tia's dad? There were do many questions floating around that neither dared to ask. So Jen would probably see Ziva and Gibbs would without a doubt meet Tia's dad. Neither knew how Tia could be kept a secret for much longer but no one addressed the problems faced.

"We'll be fine Jen. As long as we're careful we'll be fine." He took her hand and kissed it, never taking his eyes off of the road.

"We always have been Jethro but it isn't us I am worried for." She let go of his hand and glanced behind her at the little girl in the back who was beginning to stir. She blinked drowsily and began to take in her surroundings.

"Momma, Tia wanna drink," she paused and looked at Jen before adding, "Pweese."

*************

"Welcome home son." Jackson Gibbs through his arms around his son then turned his attention to Jenny.

"I've heard so much about you Jenny," he smiled and gave her a hug before finally bending down in front of Tia who had all the while been hanging tightly to Jenny's hand and staring around curiously.

"Well hello little Tia, come and give your Grandpa Jack a hug." recognizing his voice from the short phone calls the one year old put her tiny arms around Jack's neck.

"Hewo Grandpa Jack." The old man chuckled.

"Well we better go inside then, no use standing around out here is there?"

With Tia sitting contentedly in her highchair with a cup of juice and bits of fruit Jack and his son and his fiancée were having a full catch up and were soon making plans for the wedding the minute Jenny's assignment finished. Jack remembered the last time he had seen Leroy so happy - he was with Shannon and Kelly. As he thought back on that last trip the three had made to Stillwater he almost began to cry, they were such a happy family always smiling and laughing. Then they had died and both his world and his son's world had come crashing in but he had gotten over it, it was his son he was worried for. But now Jack could finally see his Leroy beginning to heal properly for the first time since his first wife and daughter had died, he had Jenny, who would look after him and he would look after her, but most importantly he had Tia - how they had come to adopt her Jack had no idea but Tia and Jenny kept him going, kept his mind off of the past and to Jack seeing his son happy once more was more than enough.

Two days later just before they were due to leave a black car Embassy car with tinted windows pulled over in front of the shop. A man in dark suit and tie emerged and looked around. Some of the people on the street had stopped to give the man the once over. He had greying brown hair and eyes hidden by sunglasses. He was at least in his late forties to early fifties, his face was brown with the sun and he had deep creases in his forehead. He walked towards Jackson Gibbs' store, opened the door and let it swing shut behind him.

The people inside the store had no idea of what was happening outside so they were surprised to see the official looking man standing in the door way. He strode over to the counter and leant down on it staring at Jack intently through his tinted glasses.

"I was told I would find a Leroy Jethro Gibbs and a Jennifer Shepherd here. Are they around?" He spoke with a slight accent - Italian, Jack thought - and he never once removed his gaze from the man he spoke to.

"Yeah there in the back, hold on for a second. " Jack opened the door into the storeroom and quietly spoke to the people inside. A few seconds later Gibbs and Jenny emerged while Jack disappeared into the back with Tia. The man eyed them carefully.

"Agent Gibbs, Agent Shepherd, my name is Marco Antonio DiNozzo. I believe you have legal guardianship of my granddaughter Antonia?" Gibbs eyed him warily.

"You are Anthony DiNozzo's father I take it. How did you find out about Antonia?" The man removed the sunglasses and gave Gibbs a cold glare.

"I was contacted by a man named Eli David, the child's other grandfather. He felt that I should know about the girl. He didn't think I would come looking for her obviously but I did and I found you." Jenny was becoming increasingly tense, she looked over the man in front of her before deciding to speak.

"Does your son know about Tia - I mean Antonia?" The man sighed and stood up to his full height.

"No, that good for nothing idiot knows nothing, if it matters to you I disinherited him when he became a cop, I haven't spoken to him for years, but this is my grandchild we are talking about - my first and maybe my only grandchild. Please let me see her, just this once. I do not wish to take her with me, I would not know how to look after a young child but please, Agent Shepherd let me see her." Gibbs toyed with the idea, Jen searched the man's eyes for a hint of lying but could find none, they glanced at each other and Gibbs gave a nod before Jenny went into the back and brought out Tia.

The little girl looked at the man curiously as Jenny placed her on the counter. Marco silently took in the little girl. _Dark brown curls - obviously the Israeli side. Her eyes, that greeny-blue, definitely her father's eyes and his mother's before him. _Gibbs watched him quietly willing him to go away but the man continued to stare, any minute Tia was bound to start crying but Gibbs was shocked when she laughed at the man in front of her. Marco also jumped when she started laughing, his mind going into over drive. _The smile, her father's smile, my smile the DiNozzo smile._ Marco looked up at Gibbs and smiled a smile almost identical to Tia's. He patted her on the head and ruffled her curls.

"Agent Gibbs, Agent Shepherd, I hope I can see her again at some point, I will make contact before I intrude again. However before I go, Mr David and I have come to an agreement which we feel would greatly benefit Tia." He stopped and looked at Gibbs and Jenny before continuing. "We would like you, when you feel she is ready, to tell her about her parents, about Anthony and Ziva. Mr David said on the night Tia was given to you that maybe one day she could be reunited with her parents. We wish her to be familiar with how they look and really with the idea of having other parents before the time comes so the proces of her fitting in isn't as difficult as it would be under normal circumstances." He went into a black leather briefcase that no one had noticed before and pulled out and envelope. "In here are two letters, one from myself and one from Mr David, both are for Tia, you can read them to her if she is told before she is able to do so herself. There are also pictures, of her mother's family and of her father's family and one which Mr David found in an empty suitcase of Ziva's of her father and mother together at some bar. The last thing in here are symbols of her parents' two different religions, a set of rosary beads - as my son is a baptized Catholic - and a necklace with the Star of David on the end because as you will know her mother and the rest of the extended family are Jewish." He placed the envelope on the counter next to Tia who was still watching him and taking a last sweeping look at the store turned and left leaving both Jenny and Gibbs unable to say anything.

"Momma who dat?" Jenny picked Tia up and strode into the back once more, leaving Gibbs in the store staring at the envelope. Jack cameo out of the room and attempted to smile at his son.

"It'll all work out son, don't you worry." Gibbs sighed.

"I know dad, but I'm worried about the how part."

***************

The ride back to D.C was a tense one. Tia kept there minds off the incident because she didn't sleep at all on the way back and was demanding attention constantly. Pulling up in front of Jenny's house Gibbs grabbed her hand.

"Remember that I love you and no matter what happens from here on nothing will ever change that. Even if she goes to live with her biological parents it doesn't make Tia any less our daughter, we adopted her, we've raised her, to Tia we are mommy and daddy and nothing will change that." Jenny smiled at him.

"I know Jethro but it would hurt so much if she moved in with her mom or dad - considering they aren't together - I honestly can't picture life without her, it's only been a year but I feel like she's always been here with us and I don't want to loose her but she does need to know about her real parents." Jenny sighed and looked in the back, Tia had finally fallen asleep.

"Come on Jethro, it's time she was put in her cot." Like so many other nights the couple carefully put their baby to bed and after they did stood for a few minutes just watching. When they were finally in their room, Gibbs pulled out the envelope from a bag.

"Lets have a look Jen. We're not gonna get another chance for ages." Jenny nodded and Gibbs silently opened the envelope. Firstly her pulled out the rosary beads, the were on a cold chain and the beads were pearl, a small cross hung on the end swinging to and fro. Next came the Star of David, it was a gold star, n a gold chain with a diamond on every point of the star. They both fingered them gently before laying them down gently on the bed in front of them before pulling out the first set of pictures. It was obviously the David family. They all had names and ages and the year on the back, the first was of Ziva when she was eighteen with her two sisters, twenty three year old Orali and fifteen year old Tali, they were all smiling angelically at the camera, the next was of Ziva in the same year with her two brothers - Ari who was 28 and Isaac who was twelve. As they passed through the pictures the numbers in them changed. In the first family picture, there were five children, a father and a mother but in the last there were three children - Ari, Isaac and Ziva- and a father. There mother and two sisters appeared to be dead.

When those were done out came the DiNozzo family pictures. It appeared Anthony had an older brother named Marc. In the first of the only two family pictures Anthony was five, his brother was ten and their parents were standing behind them. In the second Anthony was fifteen his brother twenty and dressed in a navy uniform and only his father standing behind them - his mother like Ziva's was dead. There were pictures of the boys playing together, of Anthony making his First Holy Communion and being Confirmed and even one of the baby Anthony being baptized.

The last picture was separated from the rest, it was of a young couple at a bar, they weren't looking at the camera, they were to busy looking at each other. The were smiling and holding hands, they looked so in love, Jenny wondered why on earth they finished before remembering Ziva having to return to Israel.

Finally though they came to the letters. The first one that Jenny read aloud was the one from Marco Antonio.

"_Dear Antonia Ziva,_

_When I first saw a picture of you I was so proud of how pretty you were, my granddaughter. You were only a baby of one when the picture was taken but you were already a pretty little girl , with your green eyes and dark curls your are bound to be one of the prettiest angels who ever walked the Earth._

_Your Papa is called Anthony DiNozzo but he hates Anthony and has always been Tony. When he was born it was one of the most special days of my life. He was a lovely little baby, he had soft brown hair and the same eyes as you, you both have your grandmother's eyes. Sadly your grandmother passed away when your Papa was ten, she loved her boys and obviously favoured Tony who took interest in the piano lessons she gave, while his brother - your Uncle Marc -was too hyper to sit still and play for five minutes. Your father was much the same but he always made time for his Mamma, he loved her more than anything in the world. That was something that annoyed me though. As Tony got closer to his mother he distanced himself from me and I hardly knew him at all - I still don't. Marc became my favourite and Tony was well aware of it._

_When your Grandma died your Papa was very upset, he lost his first best friend as well as his Mamma that day and I do not think he ever got over it. From then on we never heard the piano being played and Marc and Tony began constantly fighting. There was one particular fight with Marc that got your Papa into a lot of trouble. It was when your Papa was twelve and Marc was seventeen they were arguing over game they were playing and it got out of hand. Tony seeing sense got up and walked away but Marc loved to annoy his little brother and continued to taunt him. He followed your Papa up the stairs annoying him and calling him names until the pair stopped at the top of the stairs. What happened next I don't know but Marc said something and Tony lost it. He punched Marc and Marc toppled down the stairs and caused him to brake both his legs. I grounded Tony for six months after that and told him he was disinherited after all he had just seriously hurt my favourite son. If your Papa had been distant before he just about cut all communication after that even though we lived in the same house. When his brother went into the Navy I was delighted but when your Papa finished school and wanted to become a cop I was enraged, the son I never knew didn't want to be in the Navy or the Army or inherit the family business he wanted nothing to do with me, so we severed all ties and he officially became the good for nothing who Marc and I never speak of. _

_Antonia, what you must understand is that the DiNozzo family is very complicated and that everything to do with us is complicated, I don't want that life for you so I have not made any contact with your Papa to tell him of you and I hope you can forgive me for that for not letting your true father know about you but I can only hope that you are happy with Agent Gibbs and Agent Shepherd. Remember that I will always love you even though I don't know your father well anymore._

_Your grandfather,_

_Marco Antonio DiNozzo "_

Jenny stopped and looked at Gibbs,

"The man actually had a heart, or was that just crap to make Tia like him before she meets him?" Gibbs shrugged,

"I dunno Jenny, but he sounds like a bastard to me, favouring his older son because Anthony- Tony rather - was closer to his mother. I can only imagine how hard it was for him when his mother died, I mean think about it, your father favours your older brother and your mother favours you, your mum dies and you are left practically alone because your father didn't understand that you were unintentionally closer to your mother and therefore have no bond whatsoever with your father. God, that guy must be screwed up something awful." Jenny nodded at him and said,

"Now you read the letter from Eli." Gibbs cleared his throat and began,

"_My Little Princess,_

_How I miss you, you have no idea how much I long to see you. The last time I saw you was your first birthday. (You will not see me again for I cannot risk being caught out and your mother finding hat I lied to her about you. I promised Jenny I would return but I cannot keep that promise and I am sorry.) You were so happy with your mummy and daddy I knew then that I had made a good choice in choosing your adoptive home. However at the end of this you maybe angry with me because here is where the truth comes out. _

_It's my fault you do not know your Ima. I told her you were dead because I feared if she knew you were alive she would have wanted to look after you herself, wanted to leave Mossad for life as a mother and I did not want that for my only remaining daughter. I had already lost two daughters when you came along and I wanted the best for my Ziva, you wouldn't have been safe in Israel with your mother so I brought you to America where you probably still are, it is the homeland of your father and you belong there where it is safe - well safer than Israel. I almost convinced myself that I could keep you and look after you but I knew in my heart you deserved better than any of us Davids could offer you. So I took you to Jennifer Shepherd knowing that she would look after you because of who your Ima is, you see Jenny and your Ima were once good friends, but when that was does not matter. _

_When I took you to her I had know idea by the end of the night you would also have a father and who better to have as a father than Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He was a well respected Senior Field Agent at the time and I have no doubt that he should one day become a Team Leader. With parents like them you are going to be special and you are and you will be always. _

_In America I know you will be safe and in Israel I can keep your Ima safe. I promise you one day you will meet your Ima. Oh how I wish you could meet your other relatives as well. Ari and Isaac would adore you and you would love them. Tali and Orali would have loved you but you will not meet them until it is time for you to go to the next world , for on the same tragic day they were both taken by a suicide bomber in Tel Aviv. I know beyond doubt that your Ima would have loved to keep you but I have her life mapped out and I overruled her as her Abba. I promise you my girl that she will one day come to America and you will be reunited with her. One day everyone will be happy and at peace. You will always be precious to me and you will always be my little princess._

_All my love and kisses and hugs,_

_Saba David" _

Gibbs put the contents of the envelope back inside it while Jenny seethed with rage.

"I don't believe that man! He was never going to tell us he wasn't coming back was he? He was never going to see Tia again, was he? He knew when he promised her on her birthday that he was returning that he wouldn't be. When he told her he loved her and that he would see her soon in Hebrew he knew it was the last he would see of her. Then the pair of them decide that she's going to be with her biological parents in the future. They had no right! By all means I am her mother, they should have asked us first, I have no problem telling her about her _Ima _and _Papa_ when she is ready but seriously I think the letters were a bit much. Especially that man Marco, imagine telling his granddaughter how he disinherited her dad when he was twelve after a fight he doesn't even know anything about! Uh, I'm so angry!" Gibbs put his arm around her.

"Come on Jen, calm down, we both have a big day tomorrow, your being briefed about your op and I am meeting my new team, it's half eleven and it's time we went to sleep."

Laying down he switched off the bed side lamp and they fell asleep both worrying about, the same things -Work and Tia.

**How was it? R&R cos I don't know what I thought of it either. **


	4. Sitter Trouble

**Hi again. Sorry it's taken me a while to update but here it is for anyone who was following the story. Once again I own nothing. **

**Chapter 4:  
Sitter Trouble**

"I'll call you as soon as I get to my hotel." Jenny wiped tears from her cheeks and kissed Gibbs on the cheek. "I love you." She took Tia from him and bounced her up and down on her hip. "I love you too angel. You be a good girl for daddy." She kissed the little girl on the forehead and walked out the front door and down the garden path towards the embassy car that was waiting to take her to the airport. She didn't look back because she knew exactly what she would see. Gibbs standing watching by the door holding a waving Tia. She let a tear roll silently down her cheek and pressed her head against the cool, dark glass. "What am I doing?" She whispered to herself.

Gibbs sighed.

"Come on then angel let's get you ready for Noemi coming round." He took the little girl to her room and sat her down on top of her dresser. He smiled when he saw Jenny had already picked out Antonia's clothes for the day and packed more than a week's worth of more clothes in a little case ready for going to Gibbs' place. He gently washed the little girl and dressed her in the pale pink tee and blue denim skirt Jen had laid out. He looked around him and then he realised he couldn't remember where her little sandals were. He searched the room and almost turned the house upside down before remembering they were actually in the back of the car. He hitched the toddler higher onto his hip and jogged out to the car to retrieve the shoes.

An hour later Tia was watching the Wiggles in her bedroom and Gibbs was pacing the hall outside wondering where the heck Noemi was. Suddenly his phone rang and he snapped it open.

"Yeah Gibbs."

"Senor Gibbs, it's Noemi."

"Hey, is everything okay?"

"No senor. I am very sorry but my father is very ill so I cannot watch Tia today. I do not know if I will be there tomorrow either, the doctors say he is dying." Noemi paused when she heard Gibbs sigh.

"That's all right Noemi. You just focus on your dad right now and I'll worry about the little one."

He snapped the cell shut and ran his fingers through his hair. He was late as it was his _team_ - if that was an appropriate enough word for the slightly eccentric petty officer and the movie mad cop- would be waiting for him. He went into his daughter's room and picked her up off of the floor before switching the telly off and carrying her downstairs. The little girl was looking at him, her head on one side as if to say - _What are you doing daddy? _Gibbs sighed again.

"Aw sweetheart, what are we going to do with you?" The little girl just smiled back and giggled when his phone rang again.

"Yeah Gibbs."

"Gibbs where are you? Are you okay?" He smiled - Abby.

"Yeah Abs I'm fine." Tia kept giggling and Abby heard her.

"Gibbs is that a kid in the background?" Gibbs sighed, Tia just had to be noisy.

"Yeah, it is." He finally decided on what to do. "Abby I'll explain everything when I get to headquarters. I am having sitter trouble. Can you help me?" Abby deliberated.

"Yes Gibbs. I'll meet you in the parking garage in say fifteen minutes?" Gibbs looked at the little girl in front of him.

"Make it ten."

The garage was fairly empty for nine thirty. _Man I'm late._ Gibbs sighed. He spotted Abby waiting anxiously and forced a smile as she spotted him and came running over. He got out and took Tia from her seat in the back. She was tired but considering she'd been up since Jenny left at six thirty Gibbs wasn't surprised. Abby gasped when she saw the girl.

"Aww Gibbs! She's like the cutest little thing in the world." Tia jumped at Abby's shout and clung to Gibbs tighter. Gibbs laughed.

"Come on angel. It's only daddy's friend Abby." Tia glanced warily at the goth and smiled at her attire.

"Ah-bee." Abby smiled widely at the girl's attempt at her name.

"Yeah, that's me. What's your name?" Tia looked Gibbs and he laughed.

"This is Tia." He pinched the girl's cheek and turned to Abby. "What do you propose we do now? I need to go to the squad room but I cant very well walk in with Tia in my arms. What if we get a call out?" He almost added _- especially with her biological father watching - _but he stopped himself. Abby thought.

"I'll look after her. It'll be fine. You can come and get her when you're done for the day and you will tell me what is going on. Fingers crossed there won't be any horrible goings-on in the Navy today." Gibbs grinned and handed Abby Tia's bag and then placed the girl on the ground and gave her hand to Abby. "Well if you're sure. She has diapers and everything in there and she has Cheesy Puffs and a cup of orange juice as well. She should fall asleep in the next hour." Abby smiled delightedly and began to lead the little girl towards the elevator. "And Abby," Gibbs called to her back. "Under no circumstances should Tia drink any Caf-Pow!" Abby smirked.

"Okay Gibbs!" Gibbs sighed as Abby disappeared with the little girl and then hurried off to the squad room.

"Have any of you two done anything productive this morning?" Viv shied away from him and mumbled something about paperwork.

"And you DiNozzo?" What was suppose to be his senior field agent lifted his feet off his desk and smiled an all too familiar grin which made those all too familiar green eyes light up.

"Me? I was going over cold cases. Nothing interesting to be found. All my paperwork's done so I was just waiting for you to come in to see if anything interesting was going on." Gibbs glared at him and he returned to his cold cases the grin not leaving his face. Gibbs sat in his chair then sprang up again.

"coffee .." He said as he strode away.

Down in Abby's lab the 14 month old girl was sitting on the edge of a table swinging her legs and laughing at Abby's attempts at dancing to a Wiggles CD. She clapped her little hands and giggled.

"Si - wee Ah-bee." Abby ruffled Tia's curled and tried to get more words out of the little girl.

"Yeah, I am pretty silly." Abby reached into the little girl's bag and handed her cup. The little girl took a swig and raised her green eyes to look straight into Abby's.

"fank oo." Abby smiled at the little girl.

"Well done Tia. You're a clever little girl for only a year." The little girl yawned.

"Ah-bee. Tia sweep?" Abby nodded and pulled Tia into a hug.

"Yeah. Tia can sleep." Abby stroked the little girl's curls as she slipped quickly into a sleep.

"Where did Gibbs get you from then huh? Your such a pretty little girl." Abby sat in her chair and rocked the little girl until she herself - despite the huge amount of paperwork she should have been doing - unintentionally fell asleep.

Gibbs strode into the lab not even an hour later. He stopped and smiled at the sight in front of him. Abby asleep in her chair with Tia curled in her arms sucking her thumb and unconsciously twirling her curls. He nudged Abby gently.

"Abs, Abby! Wake up." Abby jumped and her arms tightened around Tia.

"Oh my god Gibbs! You scared me!" She smiled down at the child in her arms. "She's an angel by the way. Been no trouble at all. She watched me dance to her Wiggles CD and then fell asleep." Gibbs smiled.

"As long as she's getting attention she's no trouble. Me and Jen worked than worked that one out very quickly." As soon as he said it he regretted it. Abby's eyes widened.

"You and Agent Shepherd? Like _Jenny? _Is Tia, like, your kid?" Gibbs ran a hand through his hair.

"No Abs, we adopted her. She's DiNozzo's kid. `Cept he doesn't know he even has a daughter." Abby frowned.

"How do you not know if you have a kid?" Her mind whirred. "Oh, was it like a one night stand or something?" She winced and Gibbs shook his head.

"No, apparently it was pretty serious but her mother was an Israeli national and she couldn't look after the baby or something. I'm pretty sketchy on the details but Jenny knows the whole story apparently they were good friends." He looked at Abby seriously. "You can't tell anyone Abby. Not DiNozzo, not Viv. Hell I don't even want the nuns to know. She's a secret and she's need to know. She's only a baby Abby and I don't want her upset. Jens away right now so it'll be hard for her to adjust to not having her mom around. I don't need DiNozzo finding out just now. I don't know him well enough it's not even been a week and I already see him as a bit of a liability. Just keep quiet." Abby nodded.

"My lips are sealed Gibbs. I wouldn't do that to you." She smiled. "Anyway, I quite like the idea of you as a daddy. It's cute." Tia began to stir and Gibbs lifted her from Abby's arms.

"Hey angel. You had a nice sleep?" Tia nodded drowsily and Gibbs ruffled her curls.

"Hallo dada." Gibbs smiled and jiggled her up and down. "Have you had any fun with Abby?" Tia nodded and smiled as she remembered something.

"Ah-bee si-wee daddy." Gibbs laughed.

"Why's that?" Tia giggled and jiggled around waving her arms and giggling. Abby got up and put her hands on her hips.

"Are you saying Aunty Abby can't dance?" Abby grabbed Tia from Gibbs and spun her around the lab. "I'll show you what dancing is you cheeky monkey!" Gibbs laughed.

"I'm gonna head back upstairs now. Bye girls!" Abby and Tia took no notice that Gibbs had left until they finally stopped spinning and Tia scratched her curls.

"Where daddy?" Abby laughed.

"Your guess is as good as mine, cheeky monkey." Tia giggled and looked at Abby.

"Wiggles?" Abby nodded.

"Wiggles." Grabbing Tia's bag she sat the little girl beside her desk with her portable DVD and headphones while she began to wade through her piles of paperwork.

Gibbs strode into the squad room and sat down to survey his `team`. They seemed to be working well. His phone buzzed in his pocket.

"Yeah Gibbs." He paused and ran his fingers through his hair while listening to the voice on the other end of the phone. "Yeah sure, we'll be there." He snapped the phone shut and looked at his team.

"Grab your gear we have a murdered marine a Quantico. Viv get Ducky, DiNozzo get the truck."

"Yes Gibbs," the pair chorused.

Gibbs surveyed the scene in front of him and groaned. It was going to be a long night and he was stuck for a sitter again. Petty Officer Scott Lewis found by his girlfriend, slashed and disembowelled in the middle of the kitchen. Gibbs walked over to Ducky.

"What you got for me Duck?" Ducky sat back on his hunches.

"Well Jethro, I'd say our marine has been dead since around half past four this morning. I still don't know the actual cause of death but I do know that he was disembowelled post mortem. But I am afraid that is all I have." Gibbs nodded.

"Thanks Duck." He looked around for DiNozzo or Viv. "DiNozzo, have you started sketching?"

"Finished boss."

"Good, Viv have you started bagging and tagging?"

"Yes sir .. I mean Gibbs." Gibbs nodded and said -due to habit rather than forgetfulness - to DiNozzo.

"When Viv has finished I want you to take the evidence to Abby and Viv I want you to interview the girlfriend. I'm going to find his commanding officer.

"Yes boss" DiNozzo called to his retreating back. "You done there Viv?" Viv glared at him from her position on the blood stained floor.

"Yes." She threw a bag containing blood stained dog tags at his head but he caught it and grinned.

"Thank you." He threw the tags into the box and carried it out to the van.

"To Abby I go."

It was only when Gibbs was standing in front of the dead marine's commanding officer asking questions about the victim's family, friends and enemies that he realised exactly what he had told DiNozzo to do. He looked up. Excused himself from the office and bolted from the building.

"Damn it." He said as he entered the parking lot. He flipped open his phone. _Oh God, _he thought, _why does everything go wrong the minute Jen leaves?_

"Come on Abby. Pick up .."

But back at the lab Abby and Tia were both wearing headphones and neither could here the phone incessantly ringing.

_Coming Up … _

_Sitting at the side of Abby's desk was a toddler no older than a year with a portable DVD player on her lap. The little girl had familiar dark brown curls and when she looked up and saw him watching her she smiled a familiar smile which made her familiar green eyes sparkle. The little girl waved and Abby clocked Tony in the door way._

"_DiNozzo what the hell are you doing here?"_

**So what do you think? R&R pweese and I will update asap this time x :-)**


	5. Truth

**I know it has only been a day but I've been off school since Wednesday so I have had a good few days writing time and i thought I would just post this part. So here it is!! Enjoy x**

**Chapter 5:  
Truth **

_Previously … _

_He realised exactly what he had asked DiNozzo to do. He looked up._

"_Damn it." He flipped his notebook closed and bolted into the parking lot. He flipped open his phone._

"_Come on Abby. Pick up .."_

Sitting at the side of Abby's desk was a toddler no older than a year with a portable DVD player on her lap. The little girl had familiar dark brown curls and when she looked up and saw him watching her she smiled a familiar smile which made her familiar green eyes sparkle. The little girl waved and Abby clocked Tony in the door way.

"DiNozzo what the hell are you doing here?" Abby got up and stood in front of the toddler.

"Oh hey Abby. I just got this evidence from the crime scene for ya." He looked around intimidating Goth at the little girl who was watching him very closely. "Who's the kid?" Abby frowned and folded her arms.

"A friend of a friend had baby sitting troubles and I offered to help. I thought it was just gonna be a paperwork day but obviously not anymore. Why?" DiNozzo shrugged and looked at the little girl again.

"I dunno, she just looks kinda familiar." Abby started to panic. _He's catching on. Gibbs is going to kill me. _She searched her mind for something to say that wouldn't get her into more trouble but the phone saved her.

"Abby's lab."

"Abs, I sent DiNozzo down. Is he there yet?"

"Uh yeah." Gibbs sighed on the other end of the phone.

"Great. Has he noticed anything?" Abby dropped into her chair with Tony watching confusedly from the door way.

"Maybe, sorry Gibbs. I'll tell DiNozzo to um, meet you in the squad room." Abby put the phone down and sat back sighing. Tony put the evidence on the ground and squatted down in front of the girl.

"Hey. Watcha watching kid?" Tia pushed the DVD player towards him. "The Wiggles? Wicked." He smiled at the girl and ruffled her curls. Abby watched tensely as Tia took in the man in front of her.

"Eh, DiNozzo, Gibbs wants you in the squad room as soon as." Tony nodded and stood up.

"I don't know Abby but the kid just reminds me of someone." Abby smiled weakly.

"Oh well, I'll see you later then." Tony smiled back and walked away. Abby began breathing again only when she heard the _ding_ of the closing elevator. She looked at Tia who was smiling up at her.

"What are we going to do with you?" Tia giggled at Abby and the went back to her DVD player but suddenly she looked back.

"Ah-bee. Tia wet." Abby groaned.

"I forgot about that part." She grabbed Tia off of the floor and spun her around. "Let's get you changed and then I can get started on my work."

Gibbs slammed his phone down onto the passenger seat and ran his fingers through his hair. His day was just getting worse. He seethed with anger. _Why the hell did Eli David have to do all of this in the first place? Why did he have to take the kid away from its mother? And more importantly why the hell did Jenny end up with the kid? _He grabbed up the phone again and quickly went through the list of numbers finally coming to one that he never wanted to have to call.

It rang and rang until he thought no one would pick up but finally someone did. .The line was crackly but he could make out the voice at the other end - just.

"Deputy Director David?"

"Hello Eli, it's Agent Gibbs here." There was a pause as the man on the other end took a deep breath.

"What is wrong? Is the child okay?" Gibbs chuckled despite his mood.

"Yeah Eli, Tia is great but I'm not. I just about wrecked everything and there is only one way around it." There was another pause.

"What do you mean you have 'wrecked everything'? What have you done." Gibbs hands balled into fists.

"Tia's father has seen her and I think he's catching on."

"Well how did that happen? How do you even know her father?" Gibbs ran his fingers through his hair again.

"Well, he got transferred onto my new team. I had sitter troubles this morning and our forensic scientist said she would keep an eye on her but I forgot that she was in the building and sent DiNozzo down to Abby with evidence." He sighed. "Any suggestions on what to do next Eli?"

"We keep quiet Gibbs and hope DiNozzo is not smart enough to work all of this out. Unless you have a better idea?" Gibbs thought for a moment.

"Yeah, I do actually. I love Tia and I would never let anything happen to her and neither would Jenny for that matter but I think I should tell DiNozzo and you .. Eli you should tell your daughter about all of this." Eli gasped.

"Gibbs you must understand. I cannot do that. If you could have seen what happened to her when she thought the child was dead. I cannot tell her. My daughter would hate me." Gibbs snapped.

"You told your own daughter her child was dead? No wonder Jenny didn't tell me the whole story! You're one bastard. How could you do that?"

"I was thinking of Ziva and of her future. What kind of future would she have had with a child." Eli was trying to talk his way out of it and Gibbs was getting frustrated.

"A happy one! Any person with a heart would give up there whole life for their own child. She would have loved that little girl just like I do! You tell her Eli. Or I will find her and tell her myself." Gibbs hung up and through the phone violently onto the floor. He turned on the engine and sped back to base trying to decide what to tell DiNozzo and if he was going to tell him anything.

_In the Squad Room .. _

Tony sat his desk going through phone records throwing balls of paper at Viv every so often. But no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get the little girl in Abby's lab out of is head. The green eyes were really similar to his and he couldn't get that smile out of his mind but if he thought about it rationally there was no chance he could be a father. Was there? And why the hell would his own kid end up in Abby's lab? He thought about it over and over and tried to block out the face that kept coming back to him. _Ziva. _He hadn't thought about her for over a year. He didn't want to because it only made him feel worse when he realised that she was probably never coming back. He remembered the last time he ever saw her but then regretted it.

"_Tony, I am so sorry. It is not you. It is me. I have to go now before I get into any more trouble." He had frowned at the tears spilling down her cheeks - Ziva never cried. He had crossed the space in between them and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. _

"_We can work this out babe, don't worry." But she had shaken her head. _

"_I have to go, my father .. My father wants me home and if I do not go he will come looking for me. He will kill me." She had glanced at his disbelieving look. "Trust me Tony you do not know my father." Then she had kissed his cheek, turned and left. _

"DiNozzo! Enjoying your little day dream?" He snapped his head up to look at his boss.

"Oh, hey boss. I was just going through phone records. Um, the same number phoned him around ten times before the petty officer died. It belonged to a cell phone registered to a Megan Carter. I was trying to get an address when you came back." Gibbs smiled.

"Viv you finish what he was doing. I need a word DiNozzo. My office, now." DiNozzo frowned and followed him towards the elevator. Viv looked around confusedly.

"But he doesn't have an office."

As the elevator began to move Gibbs it the emergency stop and it grinded to halt between floors. Tony looked at him as he leant against the wall and slid down onto the floor.

"Take a seat DiNozzo." He pointed to floor and Tony sat down. "We need to talk." Tony waited for him to continue. "I take it you've met the kid in Abby's lab."

"Yeah, she's cute kid. How old is she?" Gibbs sighed.

"Look DiNozzo. There isn't an easy way to go about this but .. The girl's called Antonia or Tia for short. Her mother is called Ziva David and you .. You're her father." Gibbs watched DiNozzo carefully. He hoped that the blunt way of doing things was the right way of doing it. Tony watched his shoes carefully trying to process this new information.

"How come no one ever told me? How come you know and I didn't know? Why the hell do you know anyway? Your not even family to the Davids as far as I can guess!" Gibbs sighed.

"Ziva thinks the girl is dead. Her father took the baby away as soon as she was born. All in a bid to protect his daughter. He gave her to Jenny Shepherd. She works for NCIS too. Apparently Ziva and Jenny were friends." Gibbs stopped and look at his senior field agent. He was seething with anger.

"Why the hell did no one tell me about this? I don't get it! Why the hell was my daughter given to complete strangers to be looked after before anyone thought that maybe I was capable of being hurt? I thought when Ziva and I were finished that I wouldn't be able to see another girl again but finishing with Ziva made it easier for me to get into bed with any girl and that made the pain go away. This just brings it all aback. Almost two years after she leaves I find out from my new boss that I have child that Mr David tried to hide from me." Tony stopped and banged his fist on the floor. "Do you know what the constant variable in all of this is? That bastard David. He took Ziva away from me and he's probably just about killed her by taking the baby away too." He looked up at Gibbs angry tears in his eyes. "I want to help. I want to help look after my daughter and don't tell me I cant because if you do this will get very, very messy." Gibbs looked at Tony.

"I know I cant keep you from seeing her but what you have to remember is that she is only a baby and that she won't understand any of this right now. She needs stability. Can you offer her that? You'd be a single parent Tony," Tony looked up when Gibbs used his first name. "Looking after a baby is hard take it from someone with experience. I can't keep her from you but if .. If you don't think you can cope me and Jenny can continue caring for her. You can see her all you want but I just want to make sure you can cope." Tony looked at his superior. He was talking sense. Tony knew he couldn't cope with a baby 24/7 and there was no way he wanted to put any kid, especially his own, through that. And even though it was difficult he knew that Antonia would see Gibbs as her daddy and this Agent Shepherd as her mommy. He knew it was one complicated, sticky mess he had just landed himself into but he also knew that if the child in the middle of everything -his daughter-was to stay happy he would have think before doing anything at all.

"You're right but I want to be there Gibbs. I need to be there. She's my little girl." Gibbs nodded and stood up. He offered Tony a hand and helped him up.

"Like I said. Anytime you want to see her you can." Tony nodded.

"One thing Agent Gibbs. Who else knew about Antonia apart from the obvious people and Abby?" Gibbs sighed. He knew he was going to ask this.

"Tony, you can't loose it with me here but your father knows about her. Eli David told him." Tony banged his fists off the elevator walls.

"I hate him, I really hate him. Never mention him ever again or Eli David either." Gibbs looked cautiously at Tony and then flicked the switch and hit the button for Abby's lab.

"Come on then I suppose you better come and meet her properly."

Abby's music was back on again and the Goth was whizzing around the lab going from machine to machine singing along. She stopped when she saw Gibbs and Tony walk in. Gibbs nodded and Abby smiled.

"Hey Gibbs, DiNozzo." She pointed to her office. "She fell asleep like ten minutes ago. I didn't even realised until I went to check on her. She can actually sleep through my music." Gibbs led DiNozzo into the office and crouched down in front of the chair that Tia was asleep in.

"Hey, Tia sweetie wake up. I need you to meet someone." Gibbs shook her a little and she opened her eyes sleepily.

"Daddy?" She mumbled. Tia shuffled forwards and wrapped her arms around Gibbs. Tony flinched at the word 'daddy' it made him realise how difficult it was going to be getting used to Tia having another male figure. Gibbs prised the little girl off of his neck and picking her up gently turned to face Tony.

"Tia this is Tony," Gibbs looked at him and remembered Marco's letter. "You can call him Papa." Tia rubbed her eyes and looked sleepily at Tony.

"Papa." She lisped looking from Gibbs to Tony. Surprisingly it was Tony who spoke to her.

"Yeah, kiddo I'm Papa." He looked at Gibbs and reached out to take Tia. Gibbs smiled and handed her over. "You're a cute one aren't you?" He ruffled her curls and she giggled and ruffled them herself.

"Curls," She said. Tony laughed.

"Yeah, you got cute curls." _Just like your mother. _But Tony pushed that thought away. He was happy right now, he wouldn't think about Ziva. Gibbs laughed and went over to stand by Abby.

"Gibbs! You told him!" Gibbs nodded as Abby looked at him in amazement. "I will never understand you."

"What have you got for me Abs?" Abby smiled.

"Um, finger prints belonging to a Megan Carter on the murder weapon. She has previous for stalking her ex-boyfriend when she lived in L.A she was in a mental hospital for six months and when they let her out she came to live in D.C she works as a clerk for the Navy and she lives right round the corner from our dead guy." Gibbs kissed her forehead.

"Good work Abs. DiNozzo we gotta go. Put the kid down and hurry up." Gibbs strode out and left Abby watching Tony. He put his daughter down on the chair kissed her on the forehead and ruffled her curls.

"Bye Tia." He turned and walked away but he stopped to smile when he heard her lisp.

"Bye bye Papa."

_Coming Up…_

_Jenny flopped down on her hotel room bed and closed her eyes. Another day of boring and pointless exercises done. Now she could phone home and see how things were. She looked at her watch which was still on DC time. It was only seven thirty over there. She reached into her bag and took out her phone. Half way though dialling the number she was interrupted by a knock at the door. She sighed, walked over and wrenched the door open coming face to face with someone she would rather not have seen at all._

"_Hello Jenny."_

**Please R&R x :-) xx i need to know what you think. I am trying to go for a happy ending here. What do you think? Any comments or suggestions would be great x :-)**


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